The west end of York city is a food desert. It’s been that way since the West Market Street Giant location closed in 2017.

Sure, there’s the Turkey Hill or the local mom-and-pop convenience store, but need anything major – cold cuts, butcher’s meats and, especially, produce – and you have to travel more than a mile to the nearest supermarket on Carlisle Road.

That mile might not seem like much, but in an area of the city where, according to census data, one in five families has no access to a vehicle, that mile can be tough to navigate.

Marquez, a Dominican native who moved to York from New York City more than a year ago, has years of experience running grocery stores in The Big Apple. His brother, Miguel, moved to York before Marquez and owns the C-Town Supermarket on North Queen Street.

When Jacinto Marquez was in New York City, Miguel told him about the potential of opening a store in York and eventually convinced him to make the three-hour trip west, Marquez said.

Marquez was intrigued by York, and decided on the city’s west side because of the lack of competition.

“This area needs a store,” Marquez said. “There’s not another store like this.”

The store isn’t very big – just three small isles lined from floor to ceiling with goods – but it provides the produce and meat not found in many city stores. The store’s Latino flavor shows in its selection – a box of yucca (a root often cooked similar to potatoes) sits a shelf above two boxes of varying plantains.

Even with the Latino vibe, Marquez said the store is for everybody, serving and selling food for anyone.

Check out photos of the store and its offerings. Story continues below the gallery.

Carmen, left, and Jacinto Marquez are the owners of Shop Smart Supermarket, which opened recently on York's west side. Before then, options for groceries were slim in the area. Anthony J. Machcinski, York Daily Record

Sue Myers, owner of Sue’s Market in Wrightsville, told the York Daily Record in May that the mom-and-pop shops in York County that are still in existence have found a connection with the community.

“If it wasn’t for the community, I wouldn’t have a store,” Myers said. “It’s a very hard market to survive, but as long as you keep your customers happy, service the community and give back, (you can succeed).”

Marquez said that connection with the surrounding community has already begun.

“People are happy with the store,” he said. “They love the store.”

Anthony J. Machcinski is the food reporter for the York Daily Record. Follow him on Facebook, @ChinskiTweets on Twitter or email him at amachcinski@ydr.com.